Gas-engine



(No Model.)

L. T. CORNELL.

GAS ENGINE.

N0. 359,920l Patented Mar. 22, 1887.

Unirnn; @rares Partnr @ariosG LEWIS T. CORNELL, OF CHICAGO, iLLlNGlS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 359,920, dated March22,1887.

Application filed January. 5, 1886. Serial NoA 151,651).

To @ZZ whom, it muy concern;

Be it known that l, Lewis T. CORNELL, a citizen of the United States,residing in Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Gas-Engines, ofwliichthe following is a specification.

rlhis invention relates to improvements in gasengincsin which anexplosive mixture of illuminatinggas and atmospheric air is conlinedwithin a chamber and exploded under compression in order to utilize tothe fullest extent the explosive power oi'such a mixture against apiston-head.

The prime object of this invention is to combine with theexploding-chamber of a gas-engine a pocket constituting a primaryexploding-chamber and communicating with the explosion-chamber oftheengine in such a mauner and at such times that the primary ex plosionshall insure an explosion in the main chamber at regular anddeterminedintervals.

Another object of this invention is to produce a gas-engine in which theexplosivemixture shall be compressed during the forward or in stroke andby the action ot' the piston in the exploding-chamber and without theemployment of` any auxiliary compressor or pump.

A further object is to expel the products of combustion or the explodedgas from and reiill with and compress within the explodingchambcr theexplosive mixture by and during a single forward or in stroke of thepiston.

Further objects are to provide a piston having a double diameter,one ofwhich parts plays in a suitable cylinder and constitutes aworking-piston for supplying the explosive mixture to thccompressing-cylinder or exploding-chamber, and the other part works inthe compressingcylinder and constitutes a compressing-piston adapted tofirst expel the products ot' combustion or exploded gas and thencompress the said explosive inixturemherehy allot' these operationsmaybe produced by and during the forward or in stroke ot' said pis` ton;to provide a valve having a connectingchamber automatically operated toconnect the inlet-port with a passage leading to the workingcylinderduring the backward or out stroke ofthe piston, and to shift and connect(No model.)

said passage with the inductionport of the compressing-cylinder during'the forward or in stroke of the piston,whereby the said piston duringeach stroke thereof will draw in asupply of the explosive mixture fromthe inletpipe or reservoir and forcibly inject the same into thecompressing-cylinder, and to provide a keeping-plate for said valvehaving a constantly'burning tlamejet for relighting the valvejet, and apocket, constituting an auxiliary or primary explodingchamber, adaptedto register with the connecting-passage in said valve when said passageregisters with theinduction-port, in order to receive a supply of theexplosive Vmixture simultaneously with the compressingcylinder orexploding-chamber and to receive the valvejet when said valve is at thelimit of its stroke, and register with a passage through the valveleading to the iuduction-port,whereby anexplosion Iirsttakes place insaid pocket and thence reverberates through said passage and theinduetion-port to the explodingchamber, where it produces a secondexplosioinwhich acts upon the piston-head and operates the engine; also,to provide a pair of reduction-ports, one ot which is closed by thepiston during its forward stroke and the other automatically just priorto the complet-ion of the forward stroke ot' the piston, whereby theproducts of combustion may be entirely expelled from the exploding orcompressing chamber, and these outlets from the said chamber closedduring the operation of lcompressing and exploding the gas; to provide adivision-plate for the compressing-cylinder intermediate the inductionand eduction ports, whereby the action of the iii-rushing gas orexplosive mixture will eiectually expel the products of combustion orexploded gas and without materially inten mingling and escapingtherewith; and, finally, to provide a governor for such an engine,whereby the speed ot' said engine may be automatically regulated andcontrolledn I attain these ob!)l ects by devices illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure l represents a horizontalsection through an engine embodying my invention, with the piston at thelimit of its backward stroke and the valve connecting theworkingcylinder with the induction-port of the com- IOC drawings,Aindicates the main frame or cast-Y ing of my engine, having brackets orarms B B extending rearwardly therefrom to form bearings for the drivecrank-shaft C, carrying upon its outer ends, respectively, the usual ilyand belt wheels. This shaft is cranked centrally of its length andmidway between the brackets B B, at which point is connected thepiston-rod, as will hereinafter be more fully described.`

The main casting or shell A has, preferably, the contour of acylinder,supported on a suit-` able base, and has formed axially andlongitudinally therein two chambers of differing diameters extending,respectively, about onehalf the-entire length of the shell A andconstituting a working and a compressing cylin-` der or chambers. Iprefer to eniploythe cyl-i inder having the larger diameter and locatedin the rear halt of the shell as the working` cylinder D, and thesmaller one, E, as the compressing cylinder, which latter alsosubserves` the purpose of an exploding-chamber, as will be explainedfarther on. W'orking in these cylinders is a piston, F, also having adouble `diameter to correspond with the differing diameters of thecylinders D and E, the larger diameter, of course, operating in theworking-` cylinder and the smaller in the compressing-` chamber; and Imay here add that this smaller portion subserves the double purpose of acom-l pressor or plunger and the piston-head,against which the explosiveforce of the gas is exerted.`

Pivotally connected to this piston at a suitable point and to thecrank-shaft C, as before described, is the piston-rod G, by means ofwhich the reciprocating movement ofthe piston is converted into a rotarymotion in the crank-shaft, as is usual in engines of this class.

In general, the operation of this engine is to draw or suck into theworking-chamber behind the piston, and during the outward strokethereof, the supply of gas or explosive mixture, and on the in orforward stroke of the piston to forcibly `:inject this supply into thecompressingcylinder, where it first displaces the exploded gas orproduct of combustion, and is then compressed in the forward end of thecompressing-cylinder and exploded about the instant the pistoncompletesits forward stroke, and thus exerts its explosive power uponthe head of said piston, forcing it to return to its outer position,during which outstroke it sucks in a fresh supply of the explosive mix-`ture,to be in turn foreedinto the compressingcylinder and exploded, asjust described.

The operation of lling the working-cylinder with the explosive mixtureoccurs during' the outstroke of the piston, but the transfer of the saidmixture from the working to the compressing cylinder, the displacing andexpulsion by it of the products or" combustion or exploded gas in thelatter cylinder, the` compression of this new supply within thecompressing-cylinder and the explosion of thegas or mixture while undercompression all take place by and during the forward or in stroke of thesaid piston, and itis obvious that au explosion will take place at cachcomplete stroke of the piston.

In detail, in order to accomplish the results just enumerated,the wallofthe shell has provided therein a passage, H, and inductionportI,connecting the working-cylinder D with the compressingcylinderE; butthis passage andport do nothave a direct-communication with eachother-that is to say, the passage does not lead directly to theinduction-port, but across the ends of said passage and induction-portworks an automatic slide-valve, J, provided with a chamber, K, whichlatter serves at proper intervals toiconnect the passage with theinduction-port.; It also serves at alternating intervals to connect thepassage H with the inlet-portL, thus permitting the pstonto drawinthroughthe passage to the working-cylinder asupply ofinew gasand air.

The slide-valveJ is rendered automatic and reciprocating by means of an`ordinary eccentric, a, secured `upon and rotating with the crank-shaftC, and la connecting-rod, Inconnecti-ng said eccentric with thevalve,andiit is Y held imposition by means ofa keeping-plate, M, securedto the shell A. l

It will be observed by reference tothe drawings that theconnecting-chamber K in the slide-valveextends entirely through saidvalve,` being virtually a slot or hole therein. This construction ofthevalve enters as an import-1 ant element in my invention, for inconnection with an exploding-pocket, N, now tol bede-` scribed, itconstitutes a vital element `in the construction and operation of myengine, and these parts are equally applicableto all gasengines in whichthe explosion `takes place-under compression.

The pocket N just mentioned is formed in the inner face of thekeeping-.plate M` next the slide-valve, and is located just opposite andextends approximately across the openings of the passage H andinduction-port I, and by` means of the connecting-chamber K it receivesa supply of the explosive mixture simultaneously with therilling ofthecompressingchamber; hence the importance ofthe connecting-chamberextending-entirely through the slide-Valve, for without such a `pocketthere would be no necessity for the chamber to extend entirely throughthe valve, as an oblong pocket l in the face of the valve would` servethe same purpose.

As previouslydescribed, the pocket N in the keeping-plate is anexploding-chamber, in

IIO

which the primary explosion takes place just before the secondaryexplosion in the main compressingcylinder occurs, and which is designedto be a result of the primary explosion, and positively' insured by saidexplosion at each stroke of the piston. To produce this explosion ateach stroke of the pistomthe slidevalve J is provided near its rear endwith a llame-jet,@,supplied with gas from any convenient point andopening into asmall transverse slot or hole, d, in said valve, theforward wall of this slot being formed at an oblique angle to thevalve,with the end on the side next the pocket N extending forwardly insuch manner that the slot d, although designed to form aconnecting-passagebetween the pocket and the imluction-port, willcommunicate first with thepockehas clearly illustrated in Fig. 2. whenthe dame-jet c, coming in Contact with the gas in the pocket, willproduce an explosion therein.

rlhe continued forward travel of the Valve carries forward the slot d,and almost immediately establishes communication between the pocket andinduction-port, thereby permitting the explosion which has occurred inthe pocket to rcverberate through the inductionport into theexploding-cylinder, where it produces a secondary explosion. Theviolence of the explosion in passing across the flame-jet of courseblows the jet out ateach explosion, and in order to relight this jetafter each explosion a constant-llame jet, e, is provided in the'keeping-plaie M, burning in a suitable recess in said plate and havingan opening in the side of the chimney extending from said recessregistering with the slot d at each instroke oi' the valve,so that theflame from the jet c will immediately ignite the jet c, to` which lattera constant supply of gas is fur l nishcd during the entire operation ofthe en gine. l

I muy here state that I consider the pocket N as the most importantelcmentin my invention, in that, although the other parts would performtheir functions withoutit,at the same time the explosions would be soirregular and uncertain as to render the practical operation oftheengine almost impossible7 for its stroke would be sovjerky as to beinjurious to any machinery driven by the engine and to entirely precludethe performance of heavy work by the engine. So, also, would a greatwaste ot' the explosive mixture and danger of explosions be incurred inconsequence ofthe excess of pressure which would occur should explosionnot take place at the proper time. These disastrous results are more orless promoted bythe method of exploding the compressed mixture as atpresent in vogue, which consists in bringing the valve-jet directly orin first contact with the compressed explosive mixture; but, instead ofproducing an 'explosion, the light is put out by the action of thecompressed gas, and this may occur several times before an explosiontakes place, resulting in the jerky motion before described andpromoting the liability to a disastrous explosion, destroying theengine.

By the employment of my exl'iloding-pocket all these difficulties areovercome, for the explosion of the gas contained in the pocket has notsuiiicient volume or expansive force to blow out the valve-jet beforethe explosion takes place in said pocket, and by the time the explosiondoes take place communication is established between the pocket andexploding-chamber proper, into which the explosion in the pocketreverbcrates, carrying with it the valve llame-jet. producing thesecondary explosion before described, which occurs in the compressing orexploding chamber, and acts upon the pistonhcad, forcing it backward toits outer position, from whence the momentum of the ily-wheel returns itto compress the next chamber full of gas.

To permit the Vescape of the exploded and products of combustion fromthe exploding-chamber, two ed notion-ports, lf/g", are provided in theshell or casing Adocated, respectively, near the front and rear end ol'the said chamber and connected by suitable passages with a singleexhaust-pipe, It. The portgnear the front end of the chamber will beclosed tirst bythe piston during its instroke; but the port g isdesigned to remain open unt-il the piston has nearly completed itsinstruire, when it will be automatically closed by means of aneccentric, t, corresponding to the eccentric u on the opposite sideofthe crank-slnift, which eccentric is connected by a rofhj, with anordinary rotary valve, k, designed to cnt oit and open communicationbetween the port g' and the exhaustpipe Ii at the proper moment. Theclosing of these ports at diii'erenttimes is done for the purpose ofthoroughly exhausting the exploded gus from the compressing-cylinder,the peculiar means employed for expelling the said exploded gas almostnecessitatiugthe employment of these two valves; but the valve (j mightbe dispensed with without materially interfering with the operation ofthe engine. The action of these ports and the results obtained bytheir'use will be more clearly understood when the means employed forexpelling the gas has been described.

It will be remembered that when the pistou is in the position shown inFig. l the working-cylinder D is filled with a new supply of gas andair, while the exploding-chamber or compressing-eylinder is filled withexploded gas as the result of a previous explosion. Now, the instant thepistou starts to move forward, the fresh gas will be forced-through thepassage H and induction-port I into the coinpressing-cylinder, whereuponthe exploded gas will be displaced and expelled, first through theeducation-port g, and,when this is closed by the forward movement of thepiston, then through the port g. lu order to more easily accomplish thisresult and prevent the fresh supply from flowing directly across thecham- IOC IIC)

ber and out through the port g, I have provided the compressingcylinderwith a vertical division-plate, I, which acts as a deflector for the newgas and air and forces it to travel around the walls of the saidcylinder before reaching the eduction-port, thus causing it to forcealong before it the exploded gas already contained in the chamber, allas clearly illustrated by the arrows in Fig. l.

The closing of the port g by the valve 7a before the piston hascompleted its instrokenot only serves to prevent the escape of the freshgasand air which may now have mingled with the exploded gas, but alsoserves to convert the rest of the instroke of the piston into acoinpressing force by closing all the escape-oritices from thecompressing cylinder. Vhen the piston has completed its instroke, thevalve J will have traveled to approximately the position shown in Fig.2, and produced an explosionzin the cylinder, as before described, whenthe gas is under the greatest compression. The force of the explosionacting upon the head ofthe piston forces the piston back to its outerposition.

With the valve in the position just described, the connecting chambertherein establishes communication between the inlet-portandpassage Hyandthe action ofthe piston on its outward stroke is to draw through thepassage into the working-chamber a fresh supply of gas and air, asindicated by arrows in Fig. 2. To regulate the speed of the engine it isnot only necessary to provide an automatic governor, as obtains in allengines, but also one which may be employed in connection with theforegoing construction and shall have as `its principle the lessening ofthe supply of eX- plosive to limit the speed of the engine. To this endI have provided the device more clearly illustrated inFig. 3, in whichis shown an extension, l,of the shell A above the valve, and. forming aloose bearing for an upright shaft, 2, having a sbcave or pulley, 3.loosely sleeved thereon and connected by a belt, 4, in any well-knownand convenient manner with the crank-shaft C. Extending upwardly fromthe sheave 3,and preferably cast therewith,is a sleeve having formedthereon at the top two arms, forming pivots for the arms or levers ofthe balls 5. The upper and inner ends of the ball-levers project in anannular groove in an enlargement or 'collar rigid upon the upper end ofshaft 2, whereby said shaft is elevated and depressed by the action ofthe governorballs, which action is common to all ball-governors. Thendepressed,the lower end of the shaft projects in t-he path of vanarrn,6,eXtend ingfrom a small spring-actuated slide-valve,`

' ot' its forward stroke, as shown in Fig. 2, the

valve 7 would be moved from its seat in the position shown in saidfigure to project over the mouth ofthe passage H, and thus prevent theentrance therein of the supply of fresh gas and air, and this operationwill berepeated until the momentum of the governor, and con-` sequentlythe speed of the engine, is reduced.

In the construction of` my engine thelkeeping-plate for the valve may becast with the cylinder A; but in practiceI prefer to form this plateseparately and spring-scat it against the valve,as promoting the bestmechanical results.

In conclusion, I may add thatawater-j acket may be provided, cast in thecylinder or frame A and partly or entirely surrounding the eX-plosion-chamber; but as this `feature is not new in gas-engines, I didnot deem it necessary to illustrate it in the drawings.'

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure `byLetters Patent, 1s

l. In a gas-engine, the working-cylinder,

the compressi11g-cylinder, an inlet-port, and a` passage andinduction-port connecting said cylinders, in combination with anautomatic valve having a connecting-chamber alternately connecting saidinlet-port and passage and the passage and induction-port, substantiallyas described.

2. In a gas-engine, `the working-cylinder,`

port with the passagefand then the passage` with the induction-port,whereby said piston during the outstrolie will draw in through theypassage into the working-cylinder a fresh supply ot' the explosivemixture and during the .instroke will transfer and forcibly inject thesame into the compressing orlexploding cylinder, substantially asdescribed.

3. In a gas-engine, the working-cylinder, the compressingcylinder, anda: passage and induction-port connecting said cylinders, in combinationwith `a valve intermediate said passage and induction-port, having aconnecting-chamber extending transversely through said valve, and apocket registering with; said chamber when connecting said passage andinduction-port, whereby said pocket `may re-y ceive a charge of theexplosive mixture, substantially as described.`

4. In a gas-engine, `the working-cylinder, the compressing-cylinder, aninlct-port, and a passage and induction-port connecting said cylinders,in combination with an automatic slide-valve having a connecting-chamberintermediate said inlet-port and passage or induction-port and passage,a doublepiston working in said cylinders, akeeping-platc for said valve,and a pocket in said keeping-plate registering with theconnecting-chamber in saidvalve when connecting the passagelandinduction-ports, substantially as described.`

5. In a gas-engine, the working-cylinder,1 the compressing cylinder, andthe passage and IOO induction-port connecting said cylinder, incombination with the double piston Working in said cylinders, thepocket, and the automatic slide-valve having the connecting-chamber andflame-jet located in a transverse slot, substantially as described.

G. In a gas-engine, the compressing-cylinder or exploding-chamber, andthe induction and eduction ports on either side thereof, in combinationwith a longitudinal division-plate or defiector in said cylinderinterposed between said induction and eduction ports, substantially asdescribed.

In a gas-engine, the compressing or exploding cylinder, the pistonthereof, and the induction and the eduction ports on either side ol'said cylinder beyond the limit of the forward or in stroke ofsaidpiston, in combination with a longitudinal division-plate or defiectorin said cylinder intermediate the induction and eduction ports,substantially as described.

S. In a gas-engine, the working-cylinder, the piston thereof, and thepassage leading to the compressing-cylinder, in combination with thecompressing-cylinder, the piston thereof, theinduction and eductionports on either side of said cylinder, and the longitudinaldivisionplate or deilector intermediate said ports, substantially asdescribed.

9. In a gas-engine, the compressing-cylinder, the piston thereof, theinduction-port, and the valve for opening and closing said port, incombination with the deliector or divisionplate and eduction ports, allof which are adapted to be automatically closed just prior to thecompletion of the instroke of the piston, whereby the gas contained insaid cylinder will be compressed during the rest of the stroke,substantially as described.

10. In a gas-engine, the compressing-cylinder, the piston thereof, andthe inductionport located forward of the instrolre of said piston, incombination with the deiiector or division-plate and one or moreeduction-port-s,

all except one of which are located Within and closed by the stroke ofthe piston, which latter is automatically closed just prior to thecoinpletion of the stroke of the piston, whereby a supply of fresh gaswill enter the explodingchamber through the induction-port, be deflectedforward and along the walls of said chamber, and hence force theexploded gas first out through the eduction-ports closed by thepistonand then through the automaticallyclosing eduction-port until thislatter port is closed, after which the induction-port Will be closed andthe remainder of the stroke serve to compress the gas in the cylinder,substantially as described.

l1. In a gas-engine, the combination of the cylinders D andr E, pistonF, passage H, induction-port I, Valve J, having connectingchamber Ii,jet c, and slot d, pocket N, deflector fi, and eduction-ports y and g",substantially as described.

12. In a gas-engine, the Working-cylinder, the compressing-cylinder, acombined gas and air inlet port, a passage and indu cti on-portconnecting said cylinders, and an automatic slide- Valve havingaconnecti ngchamber alternately connecting said inlet-port and passage,and the passage and induction-port, in combination with aspring-actuated slide-valve carried by and Working in the chamber ofsaid automatic valve, a Valve-rod secured to the springactuatedslide-Valve and projecting beyond the automatic valve, and agovernor-rod adapted to be depressed by the speed of the governor toproject in the path of travel of said Valverod, whereby thespring-actuated slide-valve will project over and seal the mouth of thepassage at each stroke of the automatic slidevalve, substantially asdescribed.

LEWIS T. CORNELL.

lVitnesses:

WILL R. Ononnxnno, W. XV. ELLIOTT.

